Kimi ni Todoke, Episode 9: New Friend

Onto episode 9 of Kimi ni Todoke! This was a pretty oddly placed episode- it felt more like the middle of an episode then one with a concrete beginning, middle, and end- but I enjoyed it all the same. There were some really great scenes, and even though I'm not thrilled with some of the plotlines on the show right now, I'm still totally entertained.

Right now, I'm just thrilled the anime is letting Sawako stay happy. I was worried that things would fall into a pattern of Sawako being miserable, then getting cheered up again. I don't think I could've gotten behind watching that. I'm sure that some drama with Kurumi is coming up, but as long as Kazehaya and her friends are there to support her through it, I really don't care. I just hope to get another episode like Saturday Night again.

I feel like I complain about this anime way too much, considering how much I like it. If you haven't seen it, and this is turning you off to it, ignore me! Kimi ni Todoke is an awesome show. Go watch it now.

Rating: 95/100

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Sasameki Koto, Episode 8: Ripple

I'm now up to episode 8 of Sasameki Koto. This episode was a pretty dramatic change in pace from the zaniness of last week's episode. Sasakmeki Koto has been full of comedy in the past, but this was more like a nice little slice of life anime. I really enjoyed it.

Aoi was adorable in this episode. It's nice to see more of her, and I hope she continues to get more screentime. I also liked that some nice things were set up plot wise here. I hope we still get a few comedic episodes in the future, but the slight change of pace really seems like it'll be good for this anime.

Overall, this was a huge step up from last week's episode for me. I think this anime is at its best when it finds the perfect mix of drama and comedy, but I'd gladly take this over more episodes like last week. I'm really curious to see what'll happen with this anime in the weeks to come.

Rating: 87/100

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Seitokai no Ichizon, Episode 9: My Student Council

Seitokai no Ichizon is now up to episode 9! I've been pretty fed up with this anime as of late, but I wasn't as bothered by this episode. I don't know if I would call this one of the anime's better episodes, but it mixed things up, and that's what I need out of this anime the most.

The Chizuru plot this week felt a bit incongruous, but I still enjoyed it. I'm not sure if there's a parody I'm missing here or not, but I found it to be pretty well written and quite different from most of the stuff the show has been giving me. I'll take it over the same old jokes any day (although the Death Note reference made me giggle).

I know that this anime is based on a manfa, and I feel like it must have worked much better in the format. Picking it up for an occasional read seems perfect for Seitokai no Ichizon. Still, this episode was a nice little diversion. I didn't mind it!

Rating: 76/100

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The Sacred Blacksmith, Episode 8: Departure -Resolution-

Onto episode 8 of The Sacred Blacksmith. Thankfully, this episode was a huge improvement over last week's fanservice riddled episode. The story arc came to an end satisfyingly, and there were plenty of great moments for Cecily in particular.

Though Charlotte was a cute character, and they did try and tie this into the main storyline of the show somewhat, I can't help but think of these episodes as filler. As I was watching the anime's OP I was thinking about how funny it is that Luke is the show's title character but has played a pretty small role in all of this as a whole. I assume that he'll play a much larger role in the 4 episodes of the anime that are left, but it's pretty strange all the same.

Still, I was throughly entertained by watching this. The Sacred Blacksmith isn't going to be topping best of lists, and will probably won't get many mentions in the years to come outside of anime fans sneeringly referring to it as "The Sacred Boobsmith", but there's something I like a lot about this show.  I'm looking forward to seeing the plot thicken now that things are so close to being over. Here's hoping this one goes out with a bang.

Rating: 85/100

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2nd Annual ANIMAF AwardsTrailer #2

The trailer for the second annual ANIMAF Awards is now up. To learn more about the ANIMAF Awards, head over to afufu.net.

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Nyan Koi!, Episode 8: The Burning Private Instruction Runner

Nyan Koi! is already on its 8th episode. Well, it's farther along than that, really, but I'm still a bit behind when it comes to this anime. There aren't too many episodes left, so I'm sure I'll get all caught up soon.

This episode of Nyan Koi! had some great moments- I especially liked the ending- but it felt a bit all over the place to me. There was a lot going on that didn't seem to have much of anything to do with the plot, and the plot itself felt pretty thin. This episode wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't one of the best either.

This anime is starting to get a bit repetitive, which makes me sad. The cat element makes for some pretty terrific comedy, and it never felt generic to me the way so many other harem shows did. I'm just hoping that things get great again as this show gets closer to the end.

Rating: 85/100

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The Book of Bantorra, Episode 9: A True Man, a Battlefield, and My World

I'm now up to episode 9 of The Book of Bantorra. It's been a strange ride up to this point. I've never known quite how to feel about this show, and I wasn't even sure if the show was even going anywhere until last week. This anime is still extremely hard to predict, but I think I've finally settled into it. This was another very enjoyable episode for me.

Ganbanzel is an interesting character, and it was fun to learn a bit more about him. What I'm really starting to get excited over, however, is learning more about Hamyuts Meseta. I try to develop theories about her character and they continually seem to get crushed. I can't wait to learn her whole story.

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the pacing of The Book of Bantorra, but now that I've found a way to enjoy it, I'm good. I'd try to theorize about what's coming in the next few weeks, but I think my attempts to do so would be laughable. I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride this anime provides.

Rating: 89/100

If you'd like to watch this anime episode for free, you can do so here.

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